Opener for containers



March 1961 M. G. PRUYN EIAL OPENER FOR CONTAINERS Filed June 6, 1960 INVENTORS. NARJOR/E 6. PRUY/V.

s QNARD 1.. PRU YN OPENER non CONTAINERS Marjorie G. Pruyn and Leonard L. Pruyn, both of 1025 Hammond St., Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed June 6, 1960, Ser. No. 34,091

2 Claims. (Cl. 30-61) This invention relates to a device for simultaneously cutting or punching a plurality of holes in a container, especially a tin can. The device is particularly adaptable for use as a can opener for beverage containers.

Can openers for beverage containers presently in use are limited to opening one hole at a time. As is generally well known, it is diflicult to pour liquid from a container when only one hole is provided, because when the liquid is pouring out of the single hole, only very reduced air passage means are left for air replacement moving in the reverse direction through the single hole. Consequently, a second hole for air passage is generally desired. When one of the single-punch beverage can openers presently available is used, one hole is punched in the container, after which the can opener must be removed from contact with the container and moved to another part of the container, generally to the side opposite that previously utilized, whereon the punch opening operation must be repeated, sometimes laboriously and often inconveniently.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container opener which will simultaneously cut or punch a plurality of holes in the container in one simple operation.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a device which is readily adjustable to fit various sizes of metal containers and to permit the cutting or punch ing of holes simultaneously at or closely proximate to the circumferential edge of any size container.

It is still another object of the invention to provide such a device which may be quickly and easily folded into convenient storage position.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a device which is sturdy, but still economical to manufacture and assemble, relatively light in weight, simple in design, and easy to operate.

Other and more specific objects and advantages will States Pater:

ice

said edge roll 22 and seat so that said edge roll 22 may act as a fulcrum for handle 10'.

Illustrated in the drawings and described herein is a handle equipped with two of such protruding spurs. It will be understood that a handle may be provided which has only one of such spurs, or which has more than two thereof.

Pivotally mounted on said handle 10 adjacent said end 23 thereof by a single pin 30 are blade support arms 31 and 32 which protrude outwardly from end 23 of handle 10. At the outward end 33 of each of said arms 31 and 32 are cutter blades 34 which, in the preferred form of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, are generally triangular, and said blades are bent downwardly from said arms 31 and 32. The point 35 of each of said blades 34 may be slightly bent inwardly to improve the cutting action of said blades.

Pin 30 may be peened on its ends, as shown in Figure 2. at 40, or may be peened at one end 41 only, as shown in Figure 4, while being equipped with an' externally threaded surface 42 on which a wing nut 43 maybe mounted.

In the alternate form of the device shown in Figures 3 and 4, in lieu of cutter blades 34, the device may be equipped with cylindrical punches 50 mounted on support arms 31 and 32 adjacent the outer ends 33 thereof and projecting downwardly therefrom. Punches 50 may be equipped with oblique cutting edges 51.

The device herein described and the alternate forms thereof illustrated in the drawings contemplate support arms 31 and 32, which are pivotally mounted on handle 10 for adjustment for cutting or punching holes adjacent the circumferential edges of containers of varying size,

appear and be brought out more fully in the following specification considered with reference to the accompanying drawings throughout which like parts are designated by like numerals.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of the invention in operative position.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the preferred form of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of an alternate form of the invention.

,Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the alternate form of the device shown in Figure 3.

A handle 10, of sufiicient dimensions to obtain the leverage action hereinafter mentioned, is provided. One end 23 of said handle 10 may be slightly arcuate to approximately match the outside circumferential surface 20 of a tin container 21, which has an edge roll or lip 22 slightly protruding therefrom.

End 23 of handle 10 has mountedthereon outwardly protruding spurs 24, which are adapted to fit under and for ready storage. It will be understood, of course, that instead of being pivotally mounted on said handle 10, said support arms 31 and 32 may be rigidly mounted thereon and disposed at predetermined angles relative to each other and said handle 10 for simultaneously cutting or punching holes at predetermined fixed positions only.

In operation, the device is placed against the container 21 to be opened, with spurs 24 abutting against container 21 and outside surface 20 thereof directly under lip 22. Arms 31 and 32 are then adjusted until cutter blades 34 (or punches 50 in the alternate form of the device) are positioned over container 21 at points substantially on opposite sides of said container 21 and adjacent to the outside circumferential surface 20 thereof.

Handle 10 is then grasped firmly and pivoted upwardly with spurs 24 anchored under lip 22 of container 21, and with lip 22 serving as a fulcrum, whereupon arms 31 and 32 will move downwardly until cutter blades 30 (or punuches 50) contact container 21 and simultaneously cut or punch two holes in container 21. The device is removed from container 21 by simply reversing the process and moving handle 10 downwardly, thereby, by reason of the aforesaid fulcrum action, lifting arms 31 and 32 upwardly and removing blades 34 (or punches 50) from contact with container 21, whereupon spurs 24 may be removed from contact with container 21, and arms 31 and 32 may be pivoted on pin 30 and brought into close proximity to each other for convenient storage of the device.

Arm 31 may be slightly longer than arm 32, so that when arm 31 is brought into proximity to arm 32 it may completely overlie arm 32, thus aiding in the convenient storage of the device.

Although we have herein shown and described our invention in what we have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of our invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of tainer at one end of said handle; support arms pivotall mounted onsaidihandlein overlying position relativeto each other adjacent'the abutting end of said handle; and

means on said support arms at the ends thereof opposite 10 their pivotal mounting .for simultaneously producing a plurality of holes in saidcontainer.

2. An opener for' containers as defined in claim 1 including a single pin for pivotally mounting said support arms on said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cross Apr. 20, 1937 'Simunich v Feb. 13, 1940 Urbano Aug. 25, 1953 Naert Sept. 20, 1955 

